Starmer urged not to meet Israel president during his UK visit next week

WorldPolitics
5 Sep 2025 • 6:10 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • Israel's President Isaac Herzog is expected to visit London next week for talks with ministers.
  • The visit has sparked outrage among some Labour MPs due to the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and Israel's ongoing military offensive.
  • Prominent Labour figures, including Sarah Champion and John McDonnell, have urged the government not to meet Herzog, with some calling for his arrest for alleged war crimes.
  • This visit comes as the UK intends to recognise a Palestinian state later this month and follows Prime Minister Keir Starmer's condemnation of the situation in Gaza.
  • Although Herzog's role is largely ceremonial and distinct from Prime Minister Netanyahu, he has supported Israel's war efforts in Gaza, where the Palestinian death toll has surpassed 64,000.

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